Safety-switch box



Sept. 15, 1925,

H. G. BAXTER SAFETY SWITCH BOX Filed Nov. 20. 1920 WITNESSES:

MZM

Patented Sept. 15, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,553,354 PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD Gn BAXTER, OF BALDWIN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 WESTINGHOUSE ELEC- TRIO & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA,

SAFETY-SWITCH BOX.

Application filed November 20, 1920. Serial No. 425,479.

T 0 all whom it mag concern.

Be it known that I, HAROLD G. BAXTER, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Baldwin, Long Island, in the county of Nassau and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Safety-Switch Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to switch mechanism and particularly to safety switches used in controlling electrical circuits of lighting and power systems such as are installed in residences and factories.

One object of my invention is to provide an extremely simple safety switch mechanism wherein a minimum number of parts are necessitated for so interlocking the housing cover with the switch that the cover cannot be opened so long as the switch is in closed position and the switch cannot be closed so long as the cover is in open position. 1

Another object of my invention is to provide a simple mechanism having the above characteristics that may be formed from sheet metal by simple and inexpensive stamping operations.

A further object of my invention is to provide a single switch organization that may be readily assembled and inspected.

These and other objects, that will be made apparent throughout the further description of the invention, are attained by means of a mechanism hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the housing, showing the switch mechanism in side elevation.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken through the housing in the line IL-II of Fig. 1, showing the fuse and switch mechanism in end elevation.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus includes a housing 3 having a stationary cover portion 4 and a movable portion or door 5-that is hinged, as at 6, to the stationary cover portion.

The switch mechanism is mounted upon an insulating base 7 that is secured to the bottom of the housing and supports the fuse receptacles 8, the pivot jaw members 9 and the contact jaw members 10. The switch blade members 11 are pivoted to the switch jaw members 9 and are movable into i and out of engagement with the contact jaw connected to the terminal members 15 that are conductively joined to the fuse clips 8. Detachable fuses 16 are adapted to be inserted into the clips and are accessible through the opening that is normally closed by the door or cover 5.

I The switch blade members 11 are connected at their free ends by means of an insulating bar 17 and are operated by a pull rod 18 that is pivoted, at its inner end, to the insulating bar 17 by means of a pivot pin 19. -The outer end of the operating handle or pull rod is provided with an enlarged end portion 21 having a perforation 22 through which a finger or a hook stick may be inserted for the purpose of manipulating the pull rod.

The pull rod projects from the stationary cover through an opening 23 provided therein: and is retained in closed position by means of a latch extension 24 that is so disposed adjacent the enlarged end of the handle that it will engage the end of the slot 23 and prevent outward movement of the pull rod.

When the box is in operative position on a wall, it is so disposed that the opening 5 in the housing is at the lower end of the box and, consequently, the handle or pull rod 18 normally occupies the position illustrated, by reason of the force of gravity.

The cover or door 5 is provided, on its underside, with a bracket 26 having an arcuate slot 27 disposed concentric to the hinge 6. A link 28 is pivoted, at one end, as at 29, to the pull rod 18 and, at the other end, it is provided with a pin 31 that extends through the slot 27 and operates therein.

The link 28 provides a lo'stmotion connection between the cover 5 and the pull outwardly to open the switch. During this 0 ration, the pin 31 is free to move in the s 0t 27, and the switch mav, therefore, be operated independently of the door.

However, it will be apparent that the cover or door 5 cannot be opened, so long as the switch is in closed position, by reason of the link 28 which prevents displacement. of the cover so long as the latch 24 remains in enga ement with the slot 23. After the switch as been opened to the osition shown in broken lines in Fig. 1, t e door may be moved to the .open position illustrated in broken lines in the same figure. When the door 5 is in the open position illustrated, the pull rod cannot be moved to closed position without first moving the cover to closed position.

It will be seen from the foregoing that access may not be had to the fuse compartment for the purpose of. inspection or renewalvof the fuses without first opening the switch, which 0 eration disconnects the live conductors 12 rom the fuse clips. It will be further apparent that the switch cannot be closed without first closing the door 5.

The switch mechanism is safe in every respect, and the parts are simple and .inex

pensive to manufacture and may be readily assembled or ins ected.

While I have escribed and illustrated but one embodiment of m invention, it will be apparent to those skil ed in the art that va-' rious changes, modifications, substitutions. additions and omissions ma be made inthe apparatus illustrated wit out departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as set forthin the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Switch mechanism comprising a housing, a stationary cover portlon, a movable.

cover portion, a switch member, a handle for the switch operating through an opening and the handle for preventing opening movement of the said cover independently of the switch when the switch is in closed position, and means ontthe handle to cooperate with the stationary cover for normally preventing opening movement of the switch.

2. Switch mechanism comprising a housing, a. movable cover for the housing, a switch member, a pull rod for the switch member, a link pivoted to the pull rod and having a lost-motion connection to the cover for preventing opening movement of the cover independently of the switch when the switch is in closed position, and means on the pull rod and engaging the housing for normally preventing opening movement of the pull rod.

3. Switch mechanism comprising a housing, a movable cover for the housing, a switch member,-a pull. rod for the switch member extending exteriorly of the housing, a lost-motion connection between the cover andv the pull'rod for preventing opening movement of the cover independently of the switch when the switch is closed and closing movement of the switch independently of the cover when the cover is open, and means on the pull rod for engaging the housing for prgventing opening movement of the pull ro 4. Switch mechanism comprising a housing, a stationary cover portion, a movable cover portion, a switch member, a pull rod for the switch operating through an opening in the stationary cover portion, a slotted member carried by the movable cover extending into the housing, a link pivoted to the pull rod and slidably engaging the slotted member for substantially preventing opening movement of the movable cover independently of the switch when the switch is in closed position, and a latch member engaging the stationary cover portion for normally preventing opening movement of the pull rod by the cover. 1n the stationary cover portlon, a lost-mo- '7 tion connection between the movable cover 7 In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this third day of November 1920.

HAROLD G. BAXTER. 

